him in the face with his whip, and cried, "It verifies the lines,
Man desires that his wish may be granted,
But God denies except what He thinks good."
And then he sent for the executioner to cut off the culprit's hand. So he came, and drew forth his knife, and stretched out the young man's hand. But a girl, bedraggled with mud, rushed from the midst of the women, and shrieking aloud threw herself upon him. Then she cast aside her veil, and revealed a face resembling the moon in its fullest beauty. And a great confusion arose amongst the people, one would almost have thought it to be a riot. Then she cried with a loud voice, "I adjure thee in the name of Allâh, O Prince! that thou delay the mutilation until thou hast read this petition" and she presented a paper to him.
So Khâlid broke the seal, and lo! within it were written the following lines:
Ah, Khâlid! This fellow is mad through love, is enslaved thereby.
His eye has been wounded by an arrow from my bow.
A dart from 'neath my eyelids deafened him. And his heart
Is as a flaming fire. His state is like one void of reason.
He has confessed to a crime which he did not commit, holding
That better than the dishonour of his beloved.
Therefore deal gently with the sad lover; for he
Is of a noble disposition, by nature not a thief.
